1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image recording method.
2. Description of the Related Art
For recording an image, two-liquid reaction systems have been studied which use an ink and a liquid composition containing a reaction agent capable of destabilizing the dispersion of the pigment in the ink. Image recording methods using a two-liquid reaction system have been studied (Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 7-32721 and 2010-31267). Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-32721 discloses an image recording method using an ink containing a pigment and cationic polymer particles and a liquid composition containing an anionic reaction agent and anionic polymer particles, and teaches that this method reduces blotting or bleeding. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2010-31267 discloses an image recording method using an ink containing a pigment and particles of a polymer having a structure derived from methacrylic acid derivatives and a liquid composition containing an organic acid, and teaches this method suppresses image migration.
On the other hand, an image recording method (single-liquid reaction system) not using a liquid composition has been studied for recording high-density, high-quality images (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2012-92317). This method takes advantage of the nature of the ink itself to react. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2012-92317 discloses an image recording method using an ink containing a pigment, polymer particles, and a block copolymer having an ethylene oxide structure and a propylene oxide structure. This block copolymer gelates at a specific temperature (gelation temperature) or more. This patent document describes that the ink aggregates rapidly by being applied to a recording medium heated to the gelation temperature or more.